Trial proceedings are underway this week for the Beardstown man accused of stabbing a carnival worker, who reportedly later died from the injury, at the Schuyler County fairgrounds last summer.

Jared Staake, 22, appeared in court Monday during Schuyler County State's Attorney Ramon Escapa's and defense attorneys' examination of potential jurors. Schuyler County Circuit Judge Alesia McMillen told jurors Monday that she expected the trial to continue for four or five days.

Staake allegedly stabbed Michael Box, 33, of Dyersburg, Tenn., on July 2 during an altercation at the fairgrounds. Box was taken to Culbertson Memorial Hospital, but left before seeking treatment for the wound on the left side of his stomach.

Two days later Box was found dead at his fairground sleeping quarters. A coroner's report later concluded his cause of death was acute poisoning resulting from the stab wound.

Staake, who had been arrested July 5, initially pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge on July 24, but Escapa said in December the charge could be upgraded.